


A Warm Reception

by Valaks



Category: Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz
Genre: Actions Have Consequences Alex, Alex Rider Needs a Hug, Angst and Fluff, Brookland is Attacked Kinda, Gen, MI6 is Not Always Responsible, Mrs. Bedfordshire’s Got Him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:55:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27162811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valaks/pseuds/Valaks
Summary: Everyone at Brookland had given up on Alex Rider but Ms. Bedfordshire knew that the sweet boy who stopped by after every cancer treatment was still there deep inside. It was just hard to reconcile him with the cold eyed teen who had just knocked out two grown adults and killed another a few feet in front of her.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 242





	A Warm Reception

Nothing good ever came of the police showing up during school day. Especially when no teachers had let her know to expect visitors. It was hardly the most unusual thing she had seen this week, not with halls filled with teenagers who popped by her desk for a sweet before heading to class. The makeup and body spray alone were cause for concern. These officers were probably the most harmless thing to come by - they at least wouldn’t be here without a good cause which was good enough for her. 

“We’re here for Alex Rider.” One of the men said stiffly.

She sighed, of course it was Alex. That poor child. Ever since his uncle’s death it had been an endless series of absences and him looking so  _ tired  _ when he got back. The rumors had been spiraling out of control, she hadn’t missed the cutting remarks from students walking by or the way Alex approached her with his latest note - shoulders hunched, face drawn and pinched.

All the hallmarks of something being  _ wrong.  _

But everyone seemed blind to it. 

She couldn’t count the number of times the teachers had come up to her demanding to know just ‘what Rider was pretending to have this time’. It wasn’t like Alex showed up looking like a spring chicken. The bruises were suspicious but with the things kids were saying about him she wouldn’t be surprised if some of them were roughing him up off school grounds and if Alex was sick like she suspected it wasn’t like he would be able to defend himself. 

“Ma’am,” the officer pressed firmly, breaking her out of her train of thought. Chemo brain, she dismissed. Her doctor had said it would go away eventually but for now it was just another thing to live with. 

“Sorry, Just a minute let me page him.” She checked his schedule and called into Mrs. Callaway’s room. 

She wasn’t pleased, usually she was so pleasant.

“Again? Rider, front office.” She snapped and then her tone sweetened. “Thank you Mrs. Bedfordshire.” 

“Of course,” she returned politely and hung up the phone, huffing silently at the unprofessionalism. The teacher’s disdain for Alex was only fueling his classmates and it really was getting out of hand, maybe she should talk to the headmaster. After Alex left, she decided, once he got back from lunch and had a free moment. Well, as free as anyone in that role could be. 

“It’ll be just a minute. He’ll be here soon.” She informed and the officers stiffened a little. Odd. Must be serious then, hopefully nothing too bad. Maybe his guardian would know more, she had to be informed anyways.

She flipped over to the directory, with as many strange people who came to pick Alex up you would think she would have the number memorized by now. She secretly hoped each time would be the last though. From the hopeless resignation that radiated off of him every time he was called in, Alex probably agreed. 

One of the officers tensed, elbowing another as she grabbed the phone. 

“What are you doing?” He demanded.

She was used to dealing with rude parents but she had hoped better from officers. “Calling his guardian. School policy, you understand.” 

He frowned and she shrugged internally, must be a bad day, can’t win them all. After 15 years in the role it had become a mantra. 

She turned to dial the number when she saw his hand brush against something at his side… was that a gun? Surely not. She shook it off and dialed, praying silently that Ms. Starbright picked up, this wasn’t a voicemail that any parent would want to get. Not a phone call either but that couldn't be helped. 

“Hello?” Thank God.

“Ms. Starbright? This is Helen from Brookland.”

“Is everything okay with Alex?” There was some resignation in her tone, understandable under the circumstances. Some of the bullying had increased and there had been fights, that was what her last two calls had been about. 

“Some officers are here to collect Alex.”

“What are their names?” Ms. Starbright’s voice had turned strained. That was an odd question, she hadn’t even thought to ask though maybe she should have. She covered the receiver.

“Can I have your names please?” 

They looked unsettled at the request but the man who had snapped at her earlier took the lead “I’m Officer Cole, and these are,” he said, gesturing at his men, “Brown, Tayor, and Peterson.” He introduced them in turn. 

Ms. Starbright must have heard because she asked the next question without prompting “What precinct are they taking him to?” 

She relayed the question and Cole tensed further “Umm….Third”

“I’ll meet them there. Thank you, Helen.” Ms. Starbright said in a clipped tone.

“Of cour-“ the phone was hung up but she couldn’t blame Ms. Starbright given the circumstances. 

The room lapsed into tense silence and she busied herself with paperwork. Obviously the officers weren’t interested in small talk, and neither was she given their attitude or at least one of them. The others may be fine, she shouldn’t be too quick to judge. It didn’t stop her breathing a sigh of relief when Alex rounded the corner. 

She offered him a reassuring smile and when his eyes met hers after taking in the room for a few seconds he smiled weakly back. It was more than she could ask of him right now, he really was a good kid deep down. She just hoped that this wasn’t some kind of trouble for him. 

“Alex Rider?” Cole confirmed. 

“Yeah,” he said defensively. “What’s all this for?”

“We can discuss it down at the precinct,” Brown pressed. 

“I need to see your badge first.” Stalling, she couldn’t blame him. If they had just explained what was going on Alex would have seen reason. Obviously they’d never worked with teenagers before. 

“You can see it in the car.” Cole snapped, “Now turn around, hands behind your back” he said, pulling out a pair of handcuffs and that was a bit extreme. 

“Surely that’s not necessary,“ she protested because really, he was a teenager and the rumors that would spread if the other kids saw him like that, or worse, the teachers. She didn’t even want to think about it. 

“You’re interfering with an arrest, ma’am.” 

An  _ arrest _ ? Her heart sank and she looked at Alex hoping for a hint of surprise. What she found instead was cold calculation, the sort that didn’t belong on any child’s face and certainly not his.

“So you’re arresting me? I need to call my guardian then,” he pulled his phone out of his back pocket and the four officers, tensed, hands going to their belts. 

Oh no, this wasn’t going well. Maybe if she stepped in “I already called Ms. Starbright, Alex dear, she said she-” one of the officers collapsed to the ground with a full thud, another following soon after. The other two looked shocked, but before they could say anything further, Alex had stepped forward and swept the legs out from under Cole. 

“Alex!” She screamed, as the other officer jumped into the fray and tried to punch Alex but he dodged back a step 

“Call the police!” He yelled, dodging another fist. 

These  _ were _ the police, though. Sure they were being rough but Alex had tried to fight them…..there was a flash of metal and she froze as Cole drew a gun 

“Get down!” Alex ordered and she didn’t hesitate, dropping to her knees behind the desk.

Not the police.  _ Not the police.  _

She needed to call. She didn’t know who these people were but they wanted to hurt Alex and she was in no state to help. She scrambled for her own cell phone in the drawer and pulled it towards her, cringing when she heard a crunch and a cry of pain. 

_ “Alex!”  _ She yelled and clambered up to peek over the edge and her heart clenched as she saw the blood pouring from Alex’s nose but before she could take in anymore Brown had turned to her, gun pointed and she froze. 

Time seemed slow as Alex pivoted towards him, knife in hand and sank it deep into his throat. 

Blood spurted from the wound and he collapsed to the floor. She felt just as surprised and horrified as Alex looked but before he could do anything further Cole thrust his own knife at him and Alex spun to the side with a hiss. Cole lunged again and Alex dodged and grabbed his wrist twisting it with a wet snap. The man howled in pain and Alex snatched the knife before it fell to the ground, twisting it and she looked on in horror as Alex raised it then brought the pointed edge of the handle down on the man’s temple and he collapsed bonelessly to the ground. 

Alex surveyed the room, the only sound his panting breaths and the slight gurgle that she desperately pretended not to hear. 

“Were you hurt?” 

Was she…? No she wasn’t. She was fine but  _ Alex  _ who was covered in blood and was it even all his? And oh what had he  _ done _ ? Fear and panic and shock kept her rooted to the spot unable to move but also unable to take in the carnage around her. 

“Mrs. Bedfordshire?” He tried again stepping toward her with concern. She shook her head not even sure what she was answering but he took it as a positive because he relaxed slightly. 

“Do you have tape? Like Duct tape, something heavy?” 

Tape. 

She could do that. 

Something to keep her hands busy. Not in her drawers but maybe in the closet? She looked over to it and gagged at the blood staining the doors. Alex followed her gaze and nodded slowly. . 

“I can get it,” he said softly. “Just turn around, please.” There was a brief pause. “Or you can leave if that’d be easier.” She didn’t miss the sad note in that statement - so like her Mindy when she dropped her off at school the first time. Alex didn’t want to be alone. None of this made sense to her but helping a kid, helping Alex, even if it was just being in this awful room… she could do that much. 

“No, it….it’s fine.” She head the scrape of metal as Alex opened the doors and shuffling as he rooted through the shelves

“Did you call the police?”

She hadn’t, there hadn’t been time, everything had happened so fast. 

“Fights usually go pretty quick.” Alex murmured, she must have said that aloud. “Can you call them for me, please?”

How could he be so clear headed after kill- she didn’t want to finish that thought instead she picked up her phone and promptly dropped it from shaking hands. She swore under her breath. 

“Take your time, it’s shock. It’ll be okay,” he obviously didn’t believe that either from the way the last word hitched in his throat. 

“Alex...” she said softly. 

“I need you to call the police. It’ll help.” There was a grunt and muffled thump and then the sharp sound of duct tape being undone.

Her hands shook as she picked up the phone again. 

She barely registered reporting the incident before the phone was being pulled from her hands and hung up. 

Alex guided her into her chair, spinning it to face the closed doors. He looked thoughtfully at her, then reached behind her, pulling her jacket off the back of the chair and wrapping it over her shoulders. “Hold this?” He asked, pulling her hand to where he was clutching the jacket tight around her. 

Satisfied, he nodded and slumped down on the floor next to her, letting out a hiss and grabbing at his side, face pinched with pain. He was hurt she had almost forgotten and how could she with blood trailing down his face to stain his white uniform shirt.

“I should clean you up. Maybe some paracetamol?” she offered

He waved it off. “The paramedics will be here soon. They’ll get me patched up.”

“Alex,” she huffed and he looked up at her. 

“....would it make you feel better?” He asked hesitantly. This sweet child. It was hard to fit him in with what she had just seen but couldn’t deny the relief that he was still underneath that cold expression. 

“Yes, it would.” She smiled

“Alright,” he breathed. “Is there a first aid kit?”

“Bottom drawer of my desk,” he nodded and pulled it out sorting through it with too much ease for a teenager as he pulled a few packets of medical wipes out and swore as he dropped them. “I’m sorry,” he reflexively apologized, sounding every bit his age.

“No need, dear. You have every reason to swear.” She tried to joke and he looked up at her with a grateful smile. It took him a moment to collect them again and tear them open. His hands were shaking too and that made her feel better for some reason, like he wasn’t completely untouched by this.

She took one of the wipes off the stack he had made on the desk and he looked unsure of what to do for the first time since he walked in the office. “You can stay right there unless it hurts.” 

“It’s...it’s fine.” 

She nodded and scooted the chair closer. Where to start? His face probably. She cupped his cheek and he sucked in a breath as she swiped the wipe gently under his nose. 

“Oh did that hurt, I’m sorr-“

“No, no, it’s okay.” He insisted. “Just a little tender but, it’ll be fine.” He seemed to be trying to convince himself of that. 

She was right there with him, trying to ignore what would happen when the police came through the door and saw a bloody teen and a dead - she moved the wipe to clean off the blood on his chin scrubbing slightly at the more stubborn bits. “That’s better.” She pronounced, setting the wipe down and picking up another. “It’s been a while since you visited me, how have you been?”

He looked confused then his mind caught up enough to answer “I’m sorry… there’s been a lot going on.”

“Why don’t you tell me about it?” 

He froze “I can’t…”

“Please?” He worried his lip. “It’ll help me, Alex.” She didn’t want to use his own words against him, but it worked, his shoulders sagged 

“Alright.” He said it softly. “You’re not going to believe me, though.”

“Don’t be silly, dear. I work at a school I’ve heard so many crazy stories that I doubt you could even compete with.”

He gave her a wry smile. “I think even this might be a bit much for you.”

“I’d still like to hear it,” she proddedas she scrubbed some more blood from his cheek. 

“Okay. We don’t have a lot of time….”

“Tell me what you can.” 

He nodded “Do you remember Ian, my Uncle?”

“Of course dear.” She hadn’t met him in person, there was no real need to call him before he passed and he rarely came to pick Alex up.

“He was a spy, when he died I was recruited to finish his mission.” She blinked as she took in the words and he pressed on “They needed a teenager. Just to gather information, no one would suspect one and Ian taught me a lot of things….” 

Judging by what she had seen today she could agree with that. 

A spy was definitely a new one for her, though. 

She tried desperately to give him the benefit of the doubt - it would explain the fighting and the absences and these men and the injuries and that very out of character bit with the science wing that had been hushed up with a very large donation from the ministry of education…. but so would Alex going off the rails after his Uncle’s death. 

It wasn’t the first time a teenager had fallen off the wagon when someone close to them passed, especially when he was an orphan to begin with. And teenagers like that wanted attention, claiming to be a spy wasn’t the most outlandish thing that she’d been told when there were kids who bragged about being vampires. Maybe this was Alex’s way of coping or trying to convince her that this wasn’t some gang thing he had gotten himself tangled up in. That was the rumor among all the teachers and now…..she wanted to believe him. Really did because Alex was a good boy but….

He was watching for a reaction, desperation written all over his face, he seemed to find something and he collapsed in on himself. “You don’t believe me” he sighed and tried to pull away. 

“Now I didn’t say that, dear.” She grabbed his shoulder to keep him still. He tensed but didn’t try to move any further and she took that as a cue to start wiping off his cheeks. “It’s a bit far fetched but you haven’t lied to me before and I’m willing to hear you out.”

That’s as more than he could probably ask. “They sent me to training and then on missions they said it was to gather information but it never really was. Something always happened - there wasn’t enough time to get them the information or they didn’t respond to my signal for help, or I got found out. Always something…” he shook himself out of it “I hurt a lot of people but….I didn’t kill anyone on purpose. They tried to make me but I couldn’t do it. I guess they were right and I just needed the right incentive.” 

The grim smile on his face was more than she could handle and she wiped harshly at his lips. He yelped in pain and shot her a betrayed look. 

“Keep talking dear there was just a bit there that was bothering me.”

He softened “I should thank you, you were one of the only people who was kind to me after it all. Everyone else drifted away and then the rumors started and…I hated coming back. It was the only normal thing I had left really so I did. Guess I ruined that now too.” 

She wanted to assure him that everything would work out and be fixed but….it wouldn’t. She had seen Alex kill even if it was in her defense. There would still be an investigation and a trial and she would probably be asked to testify against him. That thought settled deep and heavy in her gut and she reached out, pulling him close. He stiffened but then relaxed into her arms. 

“You’re a good boy, Alex. You’ve had it so hard over the last few months and you haven’t been treated kindly. I’m so sorry that all of this happened to you.” Ian dying, whatever had happened after to make him hurt so badly and all that was going to happen after this. “You deserve so much better.” His breath hitched. She had heard that before too when her kids didn’t want to cry but needed to. “Let it out, Alex. It’s okay.”

He threw his arms around her legs and like a dam bursting he was sobbing into her.  _ Oh, Alex _ . She gently began rubbing soothing circles in his back. There was no shushing, no telling him it would be okay, or trying to calm him down. He needed this more than anything. Just a chance to cry with someone who wouldn’t judge him for it or ask questions. Especially with what was to come. She didn’t know how long they sat there for before the stiff knock at the door but it was long enough for the sobs to die down into hiccups but even when he calmed he didn’t let her go and she didn’t let him go either. 

“Locked the door,” he murmured as he pulled away, wiping his eyes on his bloodied and cut uniform jacket. She wanted nothing more than to keep him there, safe from what was to come but she couldn’t. They would have to leave some time and Alex would have to face this but she would be by him. 

He straightened himself and those wide expressive eyes from earlier shifted into cool neutrality and just like that the boy who had cried into her was gone and the one who had fought and killed was back. He grabbed the knife still bloody back off her desk without a second thought and something twisted in her, unnerved at the change. If she didn’t know him better she would wonder which one was real. Maybe neither. But the part of her that wished the best for him hoped that he was still in there.

He cracked the door hesitantly then relaxed

“Crawley” relief flooded his voice and he stepped back to let in the 6 officers and his social worker. She had certainly seen him enough recently to recognize him on sight. Maybe Ms. Starbright had sent him ahead? It was the only thing that would make sense but why would the officers let him in?

There was a moment where they took in the room and then they broke into a flurry of motion. 

“Alex, report.” And that was rather brusque, she frowned, especially when Alex had just been through quite the ordeal and he wasn’t even going to ask how he was? Before she could even open her mouth to object Alex was already talking.

“I was called to the office and the four officers were waiting but they were acting oddly, sweating, twitchy, they had guns and not standard police issue. They didn’t respond to our code word so I used Smithers’ darts to take out two and fought the others....” he trailed off, voice cracking slightly. 

“The call said one died.” She winced at how...clinical that sounded.

“He did. He….tried to attack Mrs. Bedfordshire. I didn’t even think I….”

Crawley held up a hand to stop him “Alright. Any gun shots, anything that could have drawn attention?”

“No gunshots, Mrs. Bedfordshire yelled my name twice but no one came.”

“Recoverable.” The man said more to himself than anyone else then turned to the room at large and the officers stilled “Standard clean up in here, attempted kidnapping, drug related, stick with the syndicate name. No need to make this complicated.” 

“Yes, sir” the officers barked and they shouldn’t respond to  _ social worker _ like that but there was no doubt that he was in charge. It didn’t make sense….unless Alex had been telling the truth…

“What do you mean the syndicate involved? You know who they are already?”

“Clearwater Crime Family.” Alex stepped back trying to process the name but looked just as confused as she felt. “They’re a domestic gang specializing in drugs and corruption, hence the uniforms. You would know them better from your interactions with a….Skoda.”

“Skoda?” Alex’s voice was hollow. He obviously knew the name but….something was wrong. 

“Yes, we believe they were trying to send a message, a snatch and grab to threaten you away from interfering any further but…..” he nodded to the room. “They underestimated you. We can handle the situation from here, de-escalate things but you’ll need to lay low for a while. Jones has something in mind to help with that.” Alex cringed “and if they found you here others might as well, ones who wouldn’t underestimate you...Jones wants to talk about that too.”

Something seemed to break in Alex and he hunched in on himself, wrapping his arms around his middle. “I’m not coming back am I?” He whispered and the man shook his head.

“We need to go.” 

“Now?” 

“Now. I’ll take you out to the car.” He pulled out a pair of handcuffs and that was a bridge too far. 

“Surely those aren’t necessary” she cut in. She didn’t know who this man really was, it was obvious that Alex trusted him, but after everything that had happened earlier...

Crawley looked at her as if seeing her for the first time, then looked back to Alex.

“She knows” he said softly. 

“We’ll have her sign the OSA, she was going to have to anyways. For now, we need to get you to the bank, we’ll clean you up there and these,” he held up the cuffs, “will explain why you never came back.” 

Alex took a steadying breath and winced “Can we do them in front? I have a knife wound…” 

“Serious?” Crawley surveyed him, not touching but with just the barest hint of concern that eased her frazzled mind

“Doesn’t feel too bad.” He shrugged “had worse.” and that was horrifying to hear.

“We’ll check it in the car.” Crawley said, clasping the handcuffsr to his wrists with a final, metallic  _ click.  _

They were taking him away, not to jail but...somewhere and his words caught up to her as the shock subsided again - never coming back. 

“Alex” she implored and his head whipped over to her like he had forgotten she was still here too and she wondered if that’s what he would do now. Just….forget?

“It’ll be okay” he returned as Crawley settled a hand on his shoulder and guided him out “Thank you fo-“ he was pushed through the door and it shut loudly behind him before he could finish his sentence but she could fill it in plenty well. 

**Author's Note:**

> The lovely Galimau tried to save this poor fic. Any good parts are her. All the mistakes are mine.


End file.
